Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday alleged that Devendra Fadnavis is working against the Maratha community. The paths of Marathas have been blocked and the people are not allowed to leave their villages, he alleged. Mr. Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike over the demand of reservation for Maratha community under OBC quota. Meanwhile, a delegation of seven Jarange supporters met chief minister Eknath Shinde at his residence over their demands.Mr. Jarange has been sitting on indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district of Marathwada region. Since August 2023, this is Jarange’s sixth hunger strike for Maratha reservation under OBC category. The Eknath Shinde government has given 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to the Maratha in February 2024. However, Mr. Jarange has insisted for reservation under the OBC category. “Our paths are being blocked. The sons of Marathas are being attacked,” Jarange alleged. He also said that the Marathas cannot tolerate the injustice and they would give befitting reply to the BJP. The Maratha quota activist also warned the Shinde government that the indefinite hunger strike would not end unless the community is given reservation under OBC category. OBC outfits have also launched their own protest to oppose Jarange’s demand. There have been clashes between the two groups recently. Appealing to the Maratha community, Jarange said that there is no conflict between Marathas and OBCs. He alleged that Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal had misled the OBC community against Maratha reservation under OBC category. It is pertinent to note that Maharashtra government on Thursday wrote a letter to the Telangana government seeking certified copies of Hyderabad gazette that could establish whether Marathas were Kunbis, which is a community listed as OBC.
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